Pencil



Oct. 1,1929. y J. F. LI'NDBRG PENCIL Filed Nov..25 1921 v1o the -Wear thereupon,

i Patented Oct.-1, 1929 UNITED STATES JOHN F. LINDnE'RG, for 'ro THE YODEn PENCIL PATENT' OFFICE PENCIL Application ledNovember v25, 1921; Serial No. 517,537.

My invention relatesto pencils ,of the class iti unnecessary to effect any manuahadjust# rods to compensate for though the invention is not to be limited to automatic action.

In thepreferred embodiment of my Invention there is' employed a casing, a marking' rod, anda hollow guide within and movable 1.5 longitudinally of the casing and .provided for and enclosing the inarking rod that pro]e Cts through the outer end of its guide, said guide projecting at this end thereof through an opening provided in said casmg at the 2o writing end of the pencil.

There is also provided a follower rod wlthin the casing and in abutting engagement with the innerend of the marking rod, a.7

ment ofthe marking clutch disposed within and mounted upony the casing and in "gripping relation to the follower rod and engagingV said guide, a spring pressing upon the clutch in a direction .to grip the follower rod and to place the guide in a fully projected position, said guide, when pushed inwardly, serving to 'release said clutchv from holding engagement with the follower Yrod. 4and a spring pgessing outwardly upon said follower rod and serving to move it and the marking rod outwardly when said clutch is released. f

Any suitable means may be employed for preventing the marking rod from falling out when the follower rod is clutched and when the guide is projected to its outermost position. This means preferably resides in a y spring element upon the guide and projecting at one part through a lateral opening that is provided in the guide into holding engagement with the marking rod, this part of said spring element and the casing'having complemental portipns that are in wedging engagement on outward movement of the guide to engage said part of the spring element with,

the marking rod, -the spring element being constrained to release the marking rod on inward movement of the guide. i

I will explain my. invention more fully by reference to the accompanying drawing show"v ing the preferred embodiment thereof and` in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view` of a pencil constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the writing end of the pencil on a;v larger scale than that employed in Fig 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of ig. f 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. l; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of thev guide for the marking rod and Figg is a perlspective view showing a housing for the feeding spring and the inner end of the follower rod, this housing being in fixed relation with the casing and serving as a mounting for the clutch.

Like parts are indicated by similar charac ters of reference throughout the different figures. 1 The pencil structure includes a; tubular casing 1 that is tapered at the writing end of the pencil to constrict its bore so that this casing may there have. sliding fit with the guide 2 that is to project to a limited extent beyond the casing. This guide is preferably tubular and is formed with a collar 3 at its inner end to co-operate with the constricted portion of the casing at the writing end of the pencil in directing the guide in its move? ments longitudinally ofthe casing. This guide encloses the leadf or other `marking rod 4: that lprojects through the outer end of the guide a suflicient extent to enable the marking rod to be used in writing.

A follower rod 5 is provided Within the casing and enters' the guide 2 to be in abutting .engagement with the inner end of the marking rod. This follower rod is guided in its movement by `the marking rod guide 2 and also by being/in sliding engagement with the-plug 6 at the lower'end of the tube 7 which is /in .fixed relation with and within the casing 1. The rod is further guided in its movements. longitudinally of the casing*` 'by means of the headthereon that is in sliding fit with andwithin the tube 7. A

,feeding spring 9 is housed by the tube and ring clutch 11 surrounds the follower rod and has a tongue 12 that passes through an opening 13 in the tube extension 14 of the p ug 6 whereby the clutch tongue 12 is given support.

A coiled spring 15 surrounds the follower rod and is disposed within the tubular continuation 14 of the plug 6 between the plug and the clutch. Thls sprin serves to place the clutch ina position in wich it grips the follower rod to prevent the spring 9 from functioning. This clutch also engages the inner end of theI tubular guide 2 so that the spring, in addition to performing its clutch applying function; also serves to place the guide 2 in its outermost position, the extent to which this guide is projected being limited by the position of the clutch when gripping thc follower Iod. f

' rin e ement is re erabl em lo ed for hiidingg the markinlg` rod and thepguide when the guide is in its outermost posltion. This spring element desirably includes a leaf spring 16 that is anchored at its inner end upon the guide and is formed with a gripping nose 17 at its outer end which projects through a lateral opening 18 that is provided in the guide.- lThls nose has Wedging engagement with the tapering portion of the casing 1, the nose preferably having its outer face sloping toward the writing end of the pencil as indicated most clearly in Fig. 1. When the spring 15 places the guide in its outermost osition the nose 17 of the spring element w1 l -be forced inwardly by the tapering end of the casing' 1 to engage the marking rod and prevent it from dropping out` When the pencil is being used t e writing pressure exerted therebyT is not only effective 1n causing the pro er application? of the marking rod upon t e paper but is also effective to press the guide 2 upwardly when the marking rod is sufficiently Worn to brin the outer end of the guide into contact wit the paper. The inward movement ofthe guidewhich is thus effected is in opposition to the clutch spring 15 and in this inward movement the guide moves the-clutch11 to 9. Ireleasing position in opposition to said` spring and the guide in this inward movement carries the spring element 16w-ithit Lto release .the clampmg nose 17 from engagement with the marking rod topeimit this marking rodto be forwardl" fed as-will presently appear, it being unv erstood that the'VA spring 16 is constrained vto place this jnose 1 inl releasing` position when this 'spring yand the guide ,2 rcarryingit, are movedl` inwardly. When the clutch isrthusp-relea'sed the springl 9 is permitted to Apress the fol-u l lower rod outwardly until the marking rod has been adjusted to its proper writingposition at which time the guide 2 is so far released from engagement with the paper that the clutch spring will again be permitted to act to, lace the clutch in a position to hold lthe ollower rod and prevent lthe operation of the feeding spring 9. When the clutch is being placed in this position it will movethe guide 2 to its outermost position and the guide, in completing this movement, will effect-the application of the clampin nose 17 to the marking rod to hold the ro from falling out.

The adjusting movements that automatically follow the use of the pencil4 are slight and frequent so that the marking rod is always projected a suicient distance beyond the pencil casing to enable such rod properly to function. 4

When the marking rod has been consumed it may readily be replaced by a new'one that is merely inserted through the writing end, of the casing and into the guide 2 against the force of the spring 9, the clutch spring 15 then yielding. y .4

The tube 7 may be continued upwardly to constitute a holding socket for an eraser 18, that is enclosedl by a removable cap 19 slipped overthe top end of said tube. A magazine 20 for spare pencil leads may be held. within the bore of spring 9, in which event the eraser is removable to afford access to `then magazine. While I have herein shown and partlcular- 1y described the preferred embodiment of my invention I do not wish to be Alimited to the precise details of construction shownas changes may readily be made without .de arting from the spirit. of my invention, but aving. thus described my invention I claim as 4new and desire to secure by Lettersvllatentl the following 1. In a pencil, the combination with a casing; of a marking rod; a hollow guide within and movable lon itudinally of the casing and provided for and enclosing the marking rod that projects through the outer end of lits guide, said guide projecting at this end thereof through an opening provided in said casing at the writin end of the pencil to` b'e'engageable with t e object written upon; a spring element upon said guide and projecting at one part through a lateral opening that is provlded in the guide into holding of said spring element and the casing having complementalfportions that lare in `wedging engagement on outward movement of the guide rto engage said part ofthe spring element with the marking rod, the spring element being constrained to release the marking rod on'inward movement of the guide; t a follower rod within thecasing and in abutting engagement with the inner end of the.

markingl rod; a clutch disposed within and mounte upon the casing and in grippingrelation to the follower rod and engaging said guide; a spring pressing upon the clutch in a direction 'to grip the follower rodand to place the guide in a fully said guide, when pushed inwardly, serving to release said clutch fromholding Vengagement with the follower rod; and a spring pressing outwardly upon said follower rod andv serving to move it and the marking rod outwardly when said clutch is released.

2. In a pencil, the combination with a casing; of a marking rod; a hollow guide within and movable longitudinally ofthe casing and provided for and enclosing the marking rod that projects through the outer vend of its guide, said guide projecting at this end thereof through i said casing at the writing end of the pencil to be engageable with the object written upon; a'follower rod within the casing and in abutting engagement with the Iinner end of the marking rod; a clutch disposed within and mounted upon the 'casingand in gripping relation to the 'follower 'rod and .engagingA said guide; a springpressin' upon the-clutch in a directionto grip the ollower rod and to place' the guide in a fully projected position, said guide, serving torelease said ,clutch from holding engagement lwith the lfollower rod; and a spring pressing outwardly upon said follower rod and serving to move it andthe marking rod outwardly when said clutch is released.

3. In a pencil, the combination with a cas'- ing; of a marking rod; a-hollo'wl guide within and movable longitudinally of the casing and provided for and enclosing the marking rod that projects through the outer end of its guide, said guide projecting at this end thereo f through an opening provided in'said casing, at the writing end of the .pencil to be engageable with the object written upon; a follower rod within the casing and in abutting engagement with the innerfend ofthe marking rod ,Ya clutch disposed within and mounted upon the casin tothe follower ro and engaging said guide; a spring pressing upon theclutch in a direction to grip the follower rod and to place the guide a fully Lprojected position, said 1n guide, when pushed-inwardly,l serving to release said clutch from holding engagement with the follower rod; a spring pressing outwardly upon said follower rod and servmgxto en move it and the marking rod outwardly w said clutch is released; and. means for. holdin'g the markingrodwhen its guide is .in outermost position.

4f In a pencil, the combination with a casing; of a marking rod; a guide within and vmovable longitudinalljT of the casing and provided 'fo the marking' rod that projects beyond the outer end ofits guide,

projected position, A

an opening 'provided in when pushed inwardly,..

ly when said clutch is and in gripping 'relation said guide projecting at this end thereof through an opening provided in said casing at the writing end of the pencil to be engageable with the object written upon; a in the casing and in abutting engagement with the inner end of the marking rod; a clutch disposed within and mounted upon the casing and in gripping relation to the follower rod and engaging said guide; a spring pressing upon the clutch in a direction to grip the follower rod and to place the guide 1n a fully projectedfposition, said guide, when pushed inwardly, serving to release said clutch from holding engagement 'with the follower rod; and a. spring pressing outwardly upon said follower rod and serving to move it and the marking rod outwardly when said'clutch is released. 1 5. yIna pencil, the combination with a casing; of a marking' rod; a guide within and movable longitudinally of the casing and provided for the marking rod that projects beyond the outer` end of its guide, said guide projecting yat this end `thereof through an opening provided in said casing at lthe writing end of the pencil to be engageable with the object written in the casing and in abutting engagement with the inner end of the marking rod; a clutch disposed within and mounted upon the casing and lfollower rod and ,engaging the guide; a spring pressing upon the clutch .in a direction to grip the follower rodand to place/ the guide in a fully' projected position, said guide, when pushed inwardly, serving to r'elease said clutch from holding engagement with the outwardly upon said follower rod and serving to move it and the marking rod outwardreleased; and means for holding the marking rod when lits guide is in Ioutermost position.

6. In alpencil, the combination with a casing; of a marking rod; a guide within and movable longitudinally of the casing and providedfor the marking rod that'projects beyond vthe outer end of its guide, said guide projecting at this end thereof through an opening provided in said casing at the writing end of the pencil to be"engageable with tle' object'written upon.; a spring element uponsaid guide and'projecting at one part into `holding engagement with the marking rod, this part of said spring element and the casing having complemental portions that are 'in wedging engagement on 4outward movement of the guide to engage said part of the sprin element lwith the marking rod, the. spring e ement being constrained to release the marking rod on inward movement follower rod withupon; a follower rod with-.

in gripping ,relation to the follower rod; a spring pressing,

and in abutting engagement ywith theinroo vthe upper end of said body and Iin gripping relation to the follower rod and engaging said guide; a spring pressing upon the clutch in a direction to grip the follower rod and to placethe guide in a fully projected position, said guide, when ushed inwardly, serving to release said clutc from holding engagement with the follower lrod; and a spring pressing outwardly upon `said follower' rod and serving to move it and the marking rod outwardlywhen said clutch is l a pair of concentrically arranged relativelyr movable elements normally projecting be'- yondone 'end of said body, the inner element comprising a section of lead andthe outer element being slidablyv mounted in said bodv a pair of springs each acting on one of sald elements to move it outwardly, and a pair of devices correlated to limit the outward movements of said elements but arranged to release said inner element when said outer element moves inwardly relative thereto.

9. In a pencil, the combination of a body,

a. pair of concentrically arranged relatively' movable ,elements normally projecting beyondV one end of said body,

the inner element comprising a section of lead and the outen/ element being slidably mounted in said body, a pair of springs each acting on one of rsaid elements to move it outwardly, and means for limiting the outwardI movement of said elements but arranged'to release' the inner element when said outer element moves in-v wardly relative` thereto. 10. In a pencil, the combination of a hollow body, a lead projecting from one end thereof, a feed member engaging said lead, a` coiled spring acting on said feed member to move it longitudinally of said body, means for controlling the movement of said feed member, and a tubular member mounted in and disposed within said coiled spring for holding extra leads.

' holder','a,lea' d carrying -tube slidably mount- 1 1. In a lead pencilfthe combination of a edlin said holder with one end projectin beyond the-.writing end thereof, a prope ling .device'fitti'ng "inf the inner endof said tube and' engaging, the 'inner end yof the `lead,

'l means normallyacting on said device to propel the -leadjhro'ughthe tube, and clutch engage said propelling device to lock; it against outward movement, butfreleasable therefrom upon movement of said tube inwardly due to its engagement with a surface under the 'iniiuence of normal writing pressure. 1 i v In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 23rd day of November, A. D.,

JOHN F. 'LINDBERGn means carried by said tube and arranged to. I 

